The Rift
The Rift otherwise known as Rift HoldNimalten Loading Screen, is the a forest dense region located in Eastern Skyrim near the Morrowind and Cyrodiil border. Rift is situated between many mountain ranges including the Jerall Mountains and the Velothi Mountains. Description Geography Stony Basin The Rift is a sprawling sea of bright trees and mildly cool temperatures that separate the Rift from the rest of Skyrim. The Stony Basin is the lower half of the region, and it shows. As you move southward towards Riften, the temperature becomes much warmer, and the area begins to rise. The only significant settlement located in the Basin is Shor's Stone (an Ebony mining settlement) and Fort Greenwall, the primary bulwark of the region's capital. The basin is also more forest like with such sites as the Vernim Woods and Autumnshade Clearing appearing in the area. Ragged Hills The Ragged Hills is much more mountainous and much colder as it is located at the base of the Throat of the World. Dead in the center of the Hills is Lake Geir, which serves as the primary source of food for the surrounding settlements in the area. A few notable settlements dot the landscape including Ivarstead, Nimalten, and Geirmund's Hall. The town of Ivarstead is the beginning of the pilgrimage to High Hrothgar which begins at The Seven Thousand Steps. West of Nimalten is a pass going between the Snow Tower and the Jerall Mountains known as the Lion's Den. This pass connects Nimalten to Helgen. Smokefrost Peaks The Smokefrost Peaks is the warmest region in the Rift. This has to do with it's proximity to the volcanic mountain of Trolhetta and the Velothi Mountains. Those who come from Stonefalls and Fort Virak will end up passing Trolhetta and the Dayspring Canyon. The major settlement in the region is Riften, the capital of both Smokefrost and the Rift. Riften is built on the shores of Lake Honrich. The Lake is vast, almost as large as Lake Ilinalta in Falkreath Hold. There have been many notable settlements including Riften, Fort Dawnguard, Largashbur, and Skald's Retreat. Riften is a major trading capital in Northern Tamriel. History Merethic Era The Atmoran Expedition into the Rift Songs of the Return, Vol 27Songs of the Return, Vol 49 Second Era The Unified Eastern Kingdom of Skyrim In 2E 431, the Reman Empire had finally fallen, and High King Logrolf was assassinated. The next ruler of Skyrim came with controversy from the grand city states of Solitude and Windhelm. Jarl Svartr of Solitude claimed Logrolf's daughter, Freydis is an illegitimate heir to the throne. This was the first time someone questioned the legitimacy of the Crown of Verity, the ancient crown that determines the High King of Skyrim. The first person to question its judgment was Asurn Ice-Breaker who lost to Kjoric the White. The Crown named Freydis the next ruler of Skyrim while the Moot named Svartr, the High King of Skyrim. This caused Skyrim to divided into two different states. The Kingdoms of Eastern Skyrim (Eastmarch, the Rift, the Pale, and the Winterhold) followed Freydis while the Kingdoms of Western Skyrim (Haafingar, Whiterun Hold, Falkreath Hold, and Hjaalmarch) followed Svartr.The Crown of Freydis[https://www.imperial-library.info/content/eso-rp-interviews-phrastus-elinhir ESO-RP Interviews Phrastus of Elinhir] Extracting the bones of Sinmur in Shor's Stone After defeating Fildgor Orcthane of the Stormfist Clan at Skuldafn, the Ebonheart Pact must deal with the Boneshaper Clan of Reachman who have infiltrated the Redbelly Mine in Shor's Stone. The Vestige was sent in to take down the Boneshaper Clan and to find out why to attack Shor's Stone. To do so, the Vestige must break into the mine which is sealed off by the Boneshapers. After destroying the wards, the Pact entered the mine and fought the Reachman. The Vestige had defeated the Reachman but it was in vain as the Giant of Legend, Sinmur has been restored once again and is attacking the Rift countryside.Events in Beneath the StoneEvents in Unearthed Retaking Fallowstone Hall The Rageclaw Clan of Reachmen led by Chieftain Frostfang had assaulted the legendary Fallowstone Hall to take the almighty axe known as Wuuthrad. Vigrod Wraithbane led the force that retook the Hall. The Vestige rescued survivors from the previous attack and needed to reach the inner vault to secure Wuuthrad. To do so, they needed to summon Sage Tirora to open the keep. Once inside, the Vestige confronted Frostfang and defeated him in combat. Further, into the hall, the Vestige finds the statue of Ysgramor but only to find Wuuthrad gone. There have been reports made that Order of the Black Worm has appeared with the Reachman at the Vernim Woods.Events in Storming the Hall Worm Cult Vermin at Vernim Woods The Ebonheart Pact tracked the Reachmen to Vernim Woods. The Reachman had formed an alliance with the Worm Cult where the cult would resurrect Sinmur in exchange for a blessing from Molag Bal. The leader of the Boneshaper Clan, Stral Blackthroat, had started the ritual in the Vaults of Vernim. A Pact spy named Belron comes up with a plan requiring the hearts of Reachman champions. With the hearts gathered, the Vestige was able to enter the Vaults of Vernim and defeat Blackthroat. With the Reachman beaten, the only force left to fight is the Worm Cult who had taken Wuuthrad and with it, Sinmur's control.Events in Dangerous UnionEvents in Gift of the WormEvents in Through the Shroud The Phantom Menace of Nimalten The tension was high in Nimalten, a fairly recent assassination attempt was made on Thane Fjora and has Nimalten on high alert. Aera Earth-Turner, a former refugee during the Daggerfall Covenant's conquest over Bleakrock Isle was in charge of the investigation. The Vestige was sent to investigate Housecarl Betar-Nes' house. The Vestige learned that Sinmur requires spirits to awaken his power. The traveler reported back to Aera who informed them about Golun Drenduf's demise by the Worm Cult. They learn that the Worm Cult plans to use the spirit of Dead Companions to fuel Sinmur and that they are gathering in Nimalten Barrow.Events in Concealed Weapons Aera had pursued the Cult into the Barrow and the Vestige followed suite. It was revealed that Fjora's advisor, Borodin, was pulling strings behind everyone and was responsible for bringing the Worm Cult into Nimalten. Borodin convinced Aera to join him so she could see her dead family once again, so she attempted to assassinate Fjora and killed Golun. The Vestige decided her fate, but it is unknown whether they let her leave or killed her in the barrow. With that out of the way, the Vestige defeated the Phantom Menace of Nimalten. The Shackled Companion of Pinepeak The Worm Cult split into two parties that went towards Ivarstead and another towards Grethel's Vigil, the one towards Ivarstead traveled to the isolated cavern of Pinepeak Cavern. A group of Mages Guild scholars came to Pinepeak to check on the tomb of Hakra, one of Ysgramor's Companions. The Worm Cult had forced them out and tried to take the spirit. The Vestige consulted with Hakra who tells them that two urns bind her to Pinepeak. They had to be destroyed to escape from the Cult. Eventually, the Cult was expelled from Pinepeak and Hakra was freed. She joins the Ebonheart Pact and their fight against the Cult and Sinmur.Events in Tomb Beneath the Mountain Unearthing Taarengrav The Battle at the Honrich Tower Restoring Riften after the Siege The Battle atop of Trolhetta Construction of Fort Dawnguard Sometime after the Worm Cult threat in the Rift, the son of the Jarl of Riften contracted Sanguinare Vampiris and eventually turned into a Vampire. The Jarl could not bear to kill his son, so he spent a fortune building Fort Dawnguard to house his son from the outside world. He hired men to guard the keep; these soldiers eventually became the Dawnguard militia. Sometime later, the guards were forced to put the Jarl's son down, and because of this, they were banished from ever returning to the Rift. Despite this exile, they continued to fight Vampires across the region until they eventually split up. Fort Dawnguard became an old abandoned castle.Dialogue from Isran Third Era The Rift and it's cities during the Simulacrum Fourth Era The Crossed-Daggers Revolution The Way of the Voice; Pilgrimage to High Hrothgar Emerging from the Ratways; Enter the Thieves Guild The Reformed Dawnguard Locations Regions *Stony Basin *Ragged Hills *Smokefrost Peaks Settlements *Riften **Mistveil Keep *Ivarstead *Shor's Stone *Nimalten *Largashbur *Fallowstone Hall *Boulderfall Pass *Fullhelm Fort *Fort Dawnguard *Fort Greenwall *Northwind *Sunguard *Reich Corigate Ruins *Honrich Tower *Arcwind Point *Taarengrav *Forelhost *Smokefrost Vigil *Avanchnzel *Angarvunde *Shroud Hearth Barrow *Geirmund's Hall *Treva's Watch *Faldar's Tooth *Nilheim *Darklight Tower *Rift Watchtower *Stendarr's Beacon *Nimalten Barrow *Trolhetta Summit *Blessed Crucible *Ruins of Bthalft *Ruins of Rkund Caves *Boulderfall Cave *Broken Helm Hollow *Clearspring Tarn *Crystaldrift Cave *Darkwater Pass *Fallowstone Cave *Honeystrand Cave *Nightingale Hall *Pinepeak Cavern *Redwater Den *Ruunvald Excavation *Snapleg Cave *Tolvald's Cave *Trollslayer's Gully *Lost Prospect Landmarks *Lake Honrich *Lake Geir *Treva River *Trolhetta *Steelheart Cleft *Autumnshade Clearing *Vernim Woods *Giant's Grove *Velothi Mountains *Jerall Mountains *Darkwater River *Dayspring Canyon *Honeystrand Hill *Mammoth Ridge Gallery Riften Marketplace.png|Riften, the capital city of the Rift. Shor's Stone.png|Shor's Stone, the Ebony mining settlement. Ivarstead.PNG|Ivarstead, the small lodging hamlet. Riften Seal.png|The Traditional Rift Insignia. TESV Lake Honrich.png|Lake Honrich in the Eastern Rift. Flagon-cistern skyrim.png|The Riften Cistern, home of the Thieves Guild Chapter in Skyrim. Dawnguard-fort.jpg|Fort Dawnguard, home of the Dawnguard Vampire Hunters. Rift.jpg|The Rift, and it's scope in Skyrim. Rift Thane (Legends).png|Rift Thane in . Trivia *Eastmarch and the Rift in ESO are meant to be much more westward than they are in-game. The Velothi Mountains in the Rift are much closer to the sea and gave the Blacklight region little space. This was done so the Skyrim regions can connect to Stonefalls and the other Pact areas. Otherwise, Stonefalls would have to extend much further to reach Skyrim. By game *The Rift (Skyrim) *The Rift (Online) Appearances * * ** * * es:La Grieta Category:Lore: Skyrim Locations